Hundreds of Web sites offer prescription drugs for sale,
and the number of online pharmacies is growing daily. While legitimate pharmacy
sites can provide
a private, practical, and sometimes cheaper way to obtain prescription
medications - particularly for those who live in remote areas or are unable to
travel to pharmacies - online buyers must take extra precautions to ensure that
they are receiving safe medications from a reputable provider.

First and foremost, before you purchase medications from
an online pharmacy, check to be sure that you are dealing with a U.S.
state-licensed pharmacy. A list of licensed online pharmacies has been developed
by the National Association of
Boards of Pharmacies (NABP).
The NABP has also developed a program to help individuals identify online pharmacies
that comply with all state and federal regulations for dispensing of
medications. You can recognize these reputable pharmacy Web sites, all of which
display the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites™ seal (VIPPS® Seal).
VIPPS® also has a section to check for Veterinary-Verified Internet
Pharmacy Practice Sites™ (Vet-VIPPS®) when buying prescription
medication for your pets (http://www.nabp.net/indexroster.asp).

Safe
online pharmacies should also:

require a prescription from your own U.S.-licensed physician;

have a pharmacist available to answer questions; and

provide contact information (including the phone number of a person you can talk
to) in case you have problems or questions.